The department has a population of over 500,000 and an area of
1,226 km².

Created on June 12, 1824. The El Salvador National Parliament
deciced on January 29, 1859 to separate from the department the
cities of Apaneca, San Pedro Puxtla, Guaymango and Jujutla and give
these cities to Santa Ana Department.

Sonsonate City was the second capital of the Federal Republic of
Central America in 1834.

The department remains the heart of the Pipil culture in the
country, home to several ancient traditions and to most of the few
remaining Nahuatl speakers in El Salvador.

It is an overwhelmingly agricultural area, with extremely
fertile volcanic soils that once were the most valuable resource in
Central America for the Spanish conquistadors who profited from its
ancient cacao plantations. Its name appropriately
means "Place of 400 rivers" or "Place of many waters" as it
receives well over 2,000mm (79 inches) of rain a year.

A new community in San Julian, Sonsonate (less than 1 mile from
San Julian) is being built with the efforts of Nationals and
Immigrants in Arlington, VA, USA. Church members of CCM Fe y
Alabanza have joined forces to help about 40 families out of their
extreme poverty level and victims of the two earthquakes which hit
El Salvador within exactly one month of each other, on January 13
and February 13, 2001. Project has raised a lot of interest among
Salvadorans and other Immigrants, especially from Latin America,
for more information please go to: www.feyalabanza.com. The new
community or "colonia" has been named:"Puerto de Fe (Port of
Faith), in Feb 2009."

Municipalities

History

It is located at 65 Kilometers of San Salvador and at a height
of 225 meters. It is in the margins of Centzunat, Sensunapan, or
Grande River of Sonsonate. It is joined to the capital and Port of
Acajutla through modern highways, as well as to Santa Ana and
Ahuachapán.

Sonsonate was founded in 1552, with the title and name of Villa
of Sagrado Espiritu, by Antonio Rodriguez. In 1553, Pedro Ramirez
de Quiñonez and the bishop Francisco Marroquin gave it the name of
Villa de la Santísima Trinidad. On April 1, 1824, it obtained the
title of city and on June 12 of the same year, that of Departmental
Head. In 1834, it was capital of the Central American Federation
under the command of President Senator Jose Gregorio Salazar.

Its parochial church, although inspired by colonial style, is
from a later date to the independence, since it was blessed on
April 1, 1887. On the other hand, the church of Santo Domingo, of
calicanto, brick, and tile, was built in 1726 under the advocacy of
the Santo Angel de la Guarda. In 1834 it was seat to the federal
authorities of Central America and from 1841 to 1846, to a school
of 2nd teaching that was directed by Friar Jeronimo Zelaya.

In the park “Rafael Campos”, a column with the marble bust of
the ex-president Rafael Campos (1813-1890) was erected in 1913. He
was called the “Salvadoran Aristides”. During his administration,
the first map of El Salvador (1858) was raised. The national army,
under the command of General Ramón Belloso, fought and defeated the
filibusters of General William Walker in the battles of Masaya and
Granada, in Nicaragua.

Sonsonate is a corruption of Centzunat, slang in pipil that
means: Big River and literally “Four hundred waters”.

Famous
Characters

Rafael
Barrientos was born in Armenia, department of Sonsonate in
July, 1919. He was founder of the Orchestra of “Lito Barrientos”.
Among the prizes received are: “The Congo of gold”, in
Barranquilla, Colombia; “The order of José Matias Delgado” and
“Prodigal Son of El Salvador”.

Jose Roberto Cea was born in Izalco on April 10, 1939. He is
poet, novelist, narrator, and editor. He was part of the Committed
Generation. In theater, his most well-known works are: Las escenas
cumbres, Teatro de y una comarca Centro Americana. His novels: En
este paisito nos tocó y no me corro. And in narrative: Chumbulúm el
pececito de Darwin y Sihuapil Taqueisali.

Claudia Lars was born in Armenia on December 20, 1899, and died
in San Salvador on July 22, 1974. Her true name is Margarita del
Carmen Brannon Vega. She was a poet that cultivated the sonnet and
romance. She is considered the greatest lyrical voice of El
Salvador of the XX century. Her works: Estrellas en el pozo,
Canción redonda, La casa de vidrio, Donde llegan los pasos, Tierra
de infancia, Sobre el ángel y el hombre, and Nuestro pulsante
mundo.

Francisco Malespín was born in Izalco on September 28, 1806 and
was murdered in 1846. He was defender of culture and art. He was
president of El Salvador in 1844.

Oscar Osorio was born in Sonsonate on December 14, 1910, and
died in The United States on March 6, 1969. Corruption and
repression reigned during his government, but the achievements in
external politics were duly recognized. During his government, the
Code of Work, the promulgation of the Defense Law of the Democratic
and constitutional order were passed, and the “Chorrera del
Guayabo” or the “November 5th” Dam, the Port of Acajutla, and the
Institute of Urban Housing were constructed.

Salvador Salazar Arrué (Salarrué) was born in Sonsonate on
October 22, 1899, and died in Los Planes de Renderos on November
28, 1975. He wrote stories, novels, poetry, and he painted. He
liked the humbleness of rural people and belonged to the so called
Native movement. Among his plastic works are: La monja Blanca, La
isla roja, La ciguanaba. In literature: Cuentos de barro, Cristo
Negro, El Señor de la burbuja, O’yyarkandal, Eso y más, Cuentos de
cipotes, Mundo nomasito-una isla en el cielo.

Agriculture

Among the most remarkable manufacturing industries are those of
dairy products, panela, sugar, tiles and bricks of mud, clothes,
footwear, candles, soaps, and leather articles. Coconut trees are
plentiful in the suburbs and thus the epithet of “The city of the
palms”, name with which is known poetically. Their average annual
temperature is of 25 0C.

Traditions

Years ago, there was an exchange of products between the
inhabitants of Cuisnahuat (Sonsonate) and Jayaque (La Libertad)
during which these towns did a mutual visit; Cuisnahuat during the
rainy season and Jayaque during the dry season. If the visit was
not completed, it became a reason for war between these towns.

To celebrate this event, two pilgrimages are carried out each
year; from Cuisnahuat to Jayaque in July (rainy season) and of
Jayaque to Cuisnahuat in November (dry season). In these months,
each town celebrates its patron festivities which get richer with
the presence of the “Cumpas” to the level of Santos and
Siblings.

Another of the traditions of Sonsonate is the “candle of the
stick”, which happens during the last section of the year. The
mayor of the city chooses the “mayor of the night festivities”. The
mayor of the city gives authority to the mayor of the night
festivities to rule the city during one night. Then, the mayor's
first order is to capture everybody who is outside of their house
in the city. The captured citizens must pay the “pasayuba bosu”
(nahuat expression for ‘pay the ticket’). All the collected money
is dedicated for charity institutions.

Typical
Food

In Sonsonate there is also a diversity of typical food, but let
us point out like traditional: the yucca, which is generally eaten
boiled or fried. In both boiled or fried, the famous “pepescas” (or
small fish) and the fritada are used.

Corn tamales, as well as hen tamales, have their own taste and
you have them together with corn atol or a cup of coffee, depending
on the time of the day.

Another one of the traditional foods in Sonsonate is the “sopa
de patas” eaten with a beer or soda, depending on the person's
choice.

Sonsonate Main
Attractions

Advertisements

Juayua

Juayúa is a municipality in the Sonsonate department of El Salvador. Juayua is
a quaint little town up in the mountains, founded in 1577. The
town's central plaza faces an old white cathedral that features a
black Christ statue. The town has become a popular tourist
attraction, locally and internationally due to its beautiful views
and events, like the "Feria Gastronomica" which translation means
"food festival". They have activities on the weekends and there is
a coffee museum nearby. Its also gets really crowded with tourists
on the weekends. There are several cafes, bakeries, and restaurants
to choose from. The ever present volcano is a backdrop to the town
and there is often a swirl of mist that cascades down from the
summit. Other popular attractions of Juayua are the waterfalls,
"Chorros De La Calera" which are located just outside the town.
There are several hikes to choose from that can include rappelling
the falls, swimming through underground tunnels, and touring a
nearby coffee processing plant.